ce.

Ogilvie went to his club. There he wrote a short letter. It ran as
follows:--

"MY DEAR GRAYLEIGH,--

"Your offer was not unexpected. I thought it over even
before it came, and I have considered it since. Although I
am fully aware of the money advantages it holds out to me I
have decided to decline it. Frankly, I cannot undertake to
assay the Lombard Deeps Gold Mine, although your offer has
been a great temptation. No doubt you will find another man
more suited for your purpose.

"Yours sincerely,
"PHILIP OGILVIE."

It was between one and two that same night that Ogilvie let himself in
with his latchkey.

His wife had been to one or two receptions, and had not yet gone to
bed. She was standing in the hall, looking radiant as he had seldom
seen her. She was dressed beautifully, and her hair and neck were
covered with diamonds.

"What," he cried, "up still, Mildred? You ought to be in bed."

He did not give her any glance of admiration, beautiful as she
appeared. He shivered slightly with a movement which she did not
notice as she stood before him, the lamplight falling all over her
lovely dress and figure.

"I am so glad you have come back, Phil," she said. "I shall sleep
better now that I have seen you. I hear that Lord Grayleigh has
offered you the post of engineer on the board of the Lombard Deeps
Mine Company."

Ogilvie did not answer. After a moment's pause he said in a sullen
tone--

"Had you not better go to bed? It is much too late for you to be up."

"What does that matter? I am far too excited to sleep, and it is wrong
of you to keep things of moment from your wife. This offer means a
large addition to our income. Why, Phil, Phil, we can buy a country
place now; we can do, oh! so many things. We can pay those terrible
debts that worry you. What is the matter? Aren't you pleased? Why do
you frown at me? And you are pale, are you ill?"

"Come into my smoking-room," he said, gravely. He took her hand and,
drawing her in, switched on the electric light. Then he turned his
wife round and looked full at her.

"This will make a great difference in our position," she said. Her
eyes were sparkling, her cheeks were flushed, her pearly teeth showed
between her parted lips.

"What do you mean by our position?" he said.

"You know perfectly well that we have not money enough to keep up this
house; it is a struggle from fi